“Donated van helps volunteer lawyers meet at-risk clients” by H.M. Cauley – FOR THE AJC

Michael Lucas, executive director of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, along with his staff and a small army of 500 volunteer lawyers, is constantly looking for ways to bring free legal services to Fulton County residents who might otherwise not be able to afford them.

“We’re always thinking outside the box to meet our clients where they are.”

“We are the biggest provider of free representation to core groups: low-income tenants fighting for stability and safe housing, and survivors of intimate partner abuse” he said. “We’re always thinking outside the box to meet our clients where they are.”

That thinking has gotten volunteers, many of whom hail from Atlanta’s top law firms, out of the foundation’s downtown office and into satellite spaces in a courthouse, on the Westside and in several Atlanta public schools.

“We’ve been pushing ourselves to figure out how to reach those survivors out in the community”

And as of November, they’re also on the road, thanks to the donation of a pre-owned van from Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead. The vehicle, worth about $45,000, was also retrofitted by Live More
Campervans with a desk area, seats, solar panels, Wi-Fi and cameras.

“We also can store water, snacks and toys to keep children entertained” said Kenya Gould, program manager for AVLF’s Mobile Advocacy program. “It lets us reach out, explain what we do and have clients come to a safe environment.” Being able to reach clients where they live is often crucial for those experiencing partner abuse, said Lucas. “We’ve been pushing ourselves to figure out how to reach those survivors out in the community” he said. “Our dream was to have a mobile office where could meet with social workers and lawyers, and link to courts to get protection orders right away.”

After the foundation’s initial contact with a victim, arrangements are made to take the van to a safe space for an in-person meeting.

Lucas’ cold call to the Buckhead dealership resulted in the donation. “They are known for their civic engagement, so we reached out to them last spring,’ he said. “Almost immediately, we got a ‘yes!

Retrofitting it took a few months, so we didn’t take possession until November, but we’ve been using it in earnest since the beginning of the year” After the foundation’s initial contact with a victim, arrangements are made to take the van to a safe space for an in-person meeting. “We first find out what’s going on, and that determines where we go to meet them” said Gould. “It could be a park or a Walmart parking lot. It’s all about being in a safe environment.”

“Donated van helps volunteer lawyers meet at-risk clients” by H.M. Cauley – FOR THE AJC